New species and records of Rhyssa and Rhyssella (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Rhyssinae) from Florida and Central America

Authors

Charles C. Porter, Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Gainesville, FL

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

September 2001

Comments

Insecta Mundi, published by the Center for Systematic Entomology, is available online at http://centerforsystematicentomology.org/. Copyright © by Porter.

Abstract

Abstract: Rhyssa neotropicae n. sp. is the first Rhyssa to be recorded from the New World tropics, where it was collected in cloud forest at 1800 m on Monte Uyuca near Zamorano, Honduras. It is closely related to the Nearctic R. hoferi Rohwer and R. howdenorurn Townes but differs from all other Rhyssa by its complexly yellow and black marked head and body, whose color pattern mimics that of aggressive social vespid wasps (Agelaia) which occur in the same habitat. Rhyssa howdenorurn Townes is recorded for the first time from Florida and Oklahoma. The genus Rhyssella, previously unknown in Florida, is represented in that state by R. perfulva n. sp., distinctive in its mostly orange brown coloration, and by R. humida (Say), a black and white species with fulvous on the thoracic pleura and propodeum.

Resumen: Rhyssa neotropicae n. sp. es la primera especie de su gbnero de ser seiialada para la Region Neotropical, donde se la colecciono en selva hhmeda de alta montaiia a 1800 msnm en la cima del Monte Uyuca cerca de Zamorano en Honduras. Se trata de una especie muy afin a R. hoferi Rohwer y a R. howdenorurn Townes, las cuales se distribuyen en el suu y centro de la Region Nehrtica, diferenciandose, no obstante, R. neotropicae de todas las demas Rhyssa por su bello esquema de coloracion con intrincados disenos amarillos y negros, a semejanza del que ostentan unos vespidos sociales agresivos (Agelaia), que abundan en los mismos ambientes. Se cita por primera vez a Rhyssa howdenorurn Townes para Florida y Oklahoma. El genero Rhyssella, antes no conocido en la Florida, cuenta de hecho en este estado con 2 especies, R. perfulva asp., que destaca por tener el cuerpo casi uniformemente de color castaiio claro anaranjado, y R. humida (Say), especie negra con diseiios blancos y las pleuras torhcicas junto con el propodeo en gran parte de color claro, entre anaranjado y rojo.